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M. G. MERRITT METHOD OF MAKING TYPE.

Patented Mar. 19, 1889.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MORTIMER G. MERRITT, OF SPRINGFIELD,'MASSAOHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE FARMERS LOAN AND TRUST COMPANY,

TRUSTEE, OF NEWV YORK, N. Y.

METHOD OF MAKING TYPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 400,000, dated March 19, 1889.

Application filed March 24, 1887.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MORTIMER G. MERRITT, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Springfield, in the county of Hampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of Making Type, of which the following is a specification.

Previous to my invention the type for writ- IO ing-machines of the class to which the Remington and caligraph type-writing machines belong have usually been made by rolling upon suitable metallic blanks curved or circular dies or disks bearing on their surfaces the letters, numerals, or other characters desired to be reproduced upon the blanks. My invention has for its objects the making of type in a simpler, cheaper, and more expeditious manner than heretofore; and to this end it consists in the novel method of manufacture hereinafter more fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of a punch or male die for forming a matrix for the construction of the type. Fig. 2 is a similar .view of a die having the character-matrix formed therein. Fig. 3 is a similar view of atype-blank holder. Fig.

4 is a vertical section of the female or matrixed die and a guide therefor. Fig. 5 is a similar section of the type-blank holder, the matrixed die, and the holder or guide for these two devices, the type-blank being shown in elevation. Fig. 6 is an elevation of the typeblank. Fig. 7 is a vertical section of the guide, the matrixed die, and the blank-holder, and illustrating the formation of a type. Fig. 8 is a perspective View of a type after the blank shown in Fig. 5 shall have undergone the operation illustrated at Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a top view of said type. Fig. 10 is a vertical section of dies for trimming or finishing the type shown at Figs. 8 and 9. Fig. 11 is an enlarged perspective view of a finished type.

In the several views the same part will be found designated by the same letter or numeral of reference.

In the carrying out of my invention I pre- Serial No. 232,229. (No model.)

fer to use a punch, A, to form the matrix or female die for the production of the type; but the matrix or female die may be otherwise made without departing from the gist of my invention. The point of the punch is formed or provided in relief with the letter, numeral, or other character, I), which it may be desired to reproduce in type, and this is sunk into the upper surface of a steel block, preferably cylindrical in shape, to form the matrix or female die B, as shown at Fig. 2. The point of the punch is preferably made rectangular in outline and tapering in order to produce a similarly-shaped depression, 0, in the female die B, for a purpose which will hereinafter be made apparent. By the use of a suitable instrument the upper surface of the female die is roughened or stippled, as shown at d, to prevent an undue spreading of the type-blank during the operation of flattening the same and forging the type.

Crepresents a holder for the type-blank similarly roughened or stippled upon its lower surface, as shown at e, to co-operate with the uneven surface d of the female die B and assist in preventing the expansion of the base of the type-blank. The holder 0 is also preferably made cylindrical in form, and is provided with a central perforation, f, made tapering at its lower end to receive and support the tapering shank g of the type-blank.

D represents a tubular guide or holder for the reception of both the female die and the type-blank holder.

The trimming devices shown at Fig. 10 consist of cutting-dies E and F, the die E being provided with a central perforation, g, made tapering at its upper portion to receive the shank of the type, and with a boss or flange, h, rectangular in shape, to support the base of the type. The dieF is also formed with a rectangular boss or flange, i, which is hollowed out to permit the entrance of the face of the type and the flange h during the operation of trimming the type. The typeblank is made of steel, and consists of a cone, j, and the axially-arranged shank or stem g.

In practicing my novel method of manufacturing type I proceed in the following manner: I place the female die 1-; in the lower end of the holder or guide I), as illustrated at Fig. 4:. Then I insert the shank of a cold type-blank into the opening f in the holder 0 and place said blank-holder within the guide I) and move it down therein until the vertex of the conej shall have entered the depression (.1 in the female die, as illustrated atliig. 5, and then, by great force or pressure applied at the project-ing end of the holder C, I move the latter farther toward the die 13 and flatten or break down the cone carried thereby. as illustrated at Fig. 7. Thus far in practice I have supported the female die I and the guide D upon the bed of a press and forced down the die (l and effected the crushing of the concj by means of a powerful screw; but in lieu thereof a drop-press or a powmr-hanr mer may be employed for this purpose. As the breaking down of the cone is taking place, the metal thereof is spread from the center of the matrix or depression until it completely fills and perfectly conforms to the shape of said depression, and-to the letter, numeral, or other character produced therein. During the crushing of the cone and the filling of the matrix in the female die the tendency of the metal to spread outwardly is checked to a great extent by the roughened surfaces (Z and c, and the iillin g of the matrix thus insured. The resistance which the die B offers to the breaking down of the cone operates to force a portion of the metal of the cone into the perforation f in the holder C, and thus prolong slightly the length of the shank g. After the operation illustrated at Fig. 7 shall have been performed the parts are separated and the type is removed from the holderC. Should the shank of the type be wedged so tightly in the holder as to prevent extraction by the lingers of the opera tor a small red or other suitable device may be inserted in the open end of the perforation f and the shank removed by pushing or by the blow of a hammer. Upon the removal of the type from the holder 0 after the performance of the operation shown at Fig. 7 it. will be found to be in the condition represented at Figs. 8 and 9, and to comprise a shank, g, a flattened disk, 713, of surplus metal, a rectangular bed or base, on, with inclined sides -21, and a printing-character, as p, upon said base. I prefer to cut off the disk or surplus metal 7t, and this I accomplish by inserting the shank of the type into the perforation g in the die E and bringing the dies E and F fmrcibly together.

Fig. 11 represents the type in its finished state and subsequent to the performance of the last-mentioned operation.

lhe use of a type of the construction shown-that is, with a frusto pyramidal base-in connection with the guide or directrix set forth in another application filed by me has been found in practice to eifect a great improvement in the machine, particularly in the matter of the alignment of the printing.

Although I have shown the die I and the guide I) made of separate pieces, it will be understood, of course, that they may be formed of a single piece or of two pieces united permanently together; butI prefer the construetion shown, for the reason that it is cheaper, and that only one guide I) is needed for all the type to be made, the different matrixed dies being all constructed to lit therein in the same manner that the A die illustrated does.

It will be seen that only one blank-holder (I is necessary in making the entire font of type, and this, instead of being detachable from the guide I), as shown, may be made a part thereof and the female die 13 movedto break down the conical blank j.

Although my improvements have special reference to the making of type for writingmachines, it will be understood, of course, that type for other purposes may be made in accordance with my invention, and although I prefer to trim olf the disk 7t to the rectangular shape of the base of the type, I desire itto be understood that I do not consider my improved method of manufacture limited to the performance of this operation, as in some cases the presence of the disk may be found unobjeetionable or even desirable; and, again, although I have shown the means and the way to make type-face upon a rectangular base, it will be understood that so far as one of my improvements in theart is concerned type may be made without the rectangular base, as usual now. it

My improvements are now in practical operation, and I find that a cold-steel. typeblank of the barbed or tapering form shown may, by the means and in the manner illustrated. and described, be readily converted into a superior quality of type and at a vastly less expense than type has heretofore been made.

Although I have shown and described and thus far used a cone-shaped blank, it will be understood that a pyramidal or other tapering or spiked blank may be used in lieu thereof without departing from the spirit of my invention, and in lieu of making the typebase m rectangular in contour, which I, howver, prefer, it may be given some other configuration or shape, as described in another application filed by me simultaneous with this and. numbered 232,230.

The means herein shown and described for carrying out my novel method of mannfae.

IIO

proved type herein shown and described forms the subject-matter of an application filed by me June 4, 1888, No. 275,970.

hat I claim as new, and desire to scour by Letters Patent, is

The method of making type, which consists in arranging a tapering typebiank in front of a die provided With a sunken character and by pressure or a blow breaking 10 down the blank and causing it to conform to the character in the die, substantially as set forth.

Signed at Springfield, in the county of I-Iampden and State of Massachusetts, this 14th day of March, A. D. 1887.

MORTIMER G. MERRITT.

VVit-nesses:

H. A. CHAPIN, EDWIN PEASE. 

